Denomination: Roman Catholic
St Benedict’s Church was opened in 1965 and built to seat 850 people but recent refurbishment in 2004 and the introduction of office space have reduced the capacity to around 300.
The high altar which was originally intended to be surrounded by pews on four sides is now surrounded on three sides only and the space behind the altar serves as the baptistery.
On the right, at the entrance of the church is the new Blessed Sacrament Chapel which is used for weekday services and also serves as a “cry chapel” when the main church is in use.
The sound system is linked to both areas. There is also a small parish hall and kitchen to the left of the church.
The church and house are of load bearing brick construction, the buttresses of the tall church gables being expressed externally and internally. Roofs are timber joisted and boarded and covered in copper, the longer spans of the church being carried on steel beams.
Ceilings are of softwood throughout, close boarded in the house and slatted in the church.
The walls are cement rendered and painted white internally and Sto rendered externally. The floor of the church is finished in red, brown and buff quarry tiles. Timber finishes are of Markore as are the seats in the church. The building was awarded the Gold Medal for architecture in 1969.
Over the years since its construction the building has gradually deteriorated and demolition was proposed. When objections were raised help was sought and obtained from a number of agencies including Historic Scotland, Heritage Lottery, Glasgow City Council, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Motherwell and the Greater Easterhouse Social Inclusion Partnership. Help was also received from The Scottish Churches Architectural Heritage Trust, the Dalrymple Donaldson Fund and the Bellahouston Bequest. The result was the £2.5M facelift you see today. Glasgow City Council has since included the church in its programme of floodlighting.
The high altar which was originally intended to be surrounded by pews on four sides is now surrounded on three sides only and the space behind the altar serves as the baptistery.
On the right, at the entrance of the church is the new Blessed Sacrament Chapel which is used for weekday services and also serves as a “cry chapel” when the main church is in use.
The sound system is linked to both areas. There is also a small parish hall and kitchen to the left of the church.
The church and house are of load bearing brick construction, the buttresses of the tall church gables being expressed externally and internally. Roofs are timber joisted and boarded and covered in copper, the longer spans of the church being carried on steel beams.
Ceilings are of softwood throughout, close boarded in the house and slatted in the church.
The walls are cement rendered and painted white internally and Sto rendered externally. The floor of the church is finished in red, brown and buff quarry tiles. Timber finishes are of Markore as are the seats in the church. The building was awarded the Gold Medal for architecture in 1969.
Over the years since its construction the building has gradually deteriorated and demolition was proposed. When objections were raised help was sought and obtained from a number of agencies including Historic Scotland, Heritage Lottery, Glasgow City Council, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Motherwell and the Greater Easterhouse Social Inclusion Partnership. Help was also received from The Scottish Churches Architectural Heritage Trust, the Dalrymple Donaldson Fund and the Bellahouston Bequest. The result was the £2.5M facelift you see today. Glasgow City Council has since included the church in its programme of floodlighting.
